Posts Tagged: alternative fumigants

Partners of the Americas

UCCE Farm Advisor, Oleg Daugovish recently participated in a trip sponsored by the Partners of Americas Farmer to Farmer Program. This program is designed to improve economic opportunities of people living in rural areas of Latin America and the Carribbean.

Over nine days, Oleg helped participants in the Dominican Republic (DR ) learn how to increase food production and distribution, suggested improvements for farm operations and conserving natural resources. Most producers in this area of the world have small acreage and part of the production takes place in greenhouses or under tunnels. Most operations use drip irrigation. Greenhouses are equipped with double screen doors.  Diagnostic facilities are not readily available.

Much like in Ventura County, many of the farmers Oleg worked with in DR grew strawberries and peppers.  Growers in both places face many of the same challenges, but with different climates and infrastructures.  While in the Dominican Republic Oleg covered many miles, visited multiple farms per day, and educated a lot of people at several meetings.

Topics covered included:

• Weed management
• Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD)
• Substrates
• Fumigation
• Quality of planting material
• Crop rotation
• Slight adjustments in production to increase yield
• Propagation

In addition to the help he provided in person, Oleg shared the following UC ANR online resources with DR farmers.

• University of California Fruit and Nuts Information Center

• University of California post-harvest management for fruits and vegetables (en Espanol) -- the produce facts sheets are available in several languages

• University of California IPM guidelines, available for most crops, including strawberry (en Espanol). This site has a crop –specific pest and weed management treatment table for each pest/weed/pathogen and is updated frequently

• Phytophthora spp. seem to be prevalent among soil-borne pathogens in the DR. Aside from fumigation and ASD, phosphorus acid materials can be used such as Fosfite, Alliete or others containing the same active ingredient. Details are at this page of the University of California IPM website.

•  Section of web-page for Strawberry production at the UCCE-Ventura County website. The menu on the left contains presentations on various subjects and links to UC weed susceptibility chart for herbicides available in California and cost and return studies for crops

• Foundation plant Services at U. California – strawberry. The site provides info about obtaining the UC varieties of strawberries.

At several locations Oleg suggested slits for strawberry planting instead of round holes. Smaller holes around transplants mean fewer weeds. Increased density was recommended in some places.

Greenhouse grown peppers at this DR location were declining due to nematode presence (observed colonies on roots), likely P. capsici and foliar problems: mildew and leaf miner damage.

Cover Cropping for Vegetable Production

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Division (UC ANR) has recently released a new priced publication, Cover Cropping for Vegetable Production: A Grower’s Handbook.

Written by a collaborative of UC researchers, including Ventura County Farm Advisor Oleg Daugovish this handbook brings together the expertise of many.

Topics include:

• Introduction of cover crops for vegetables and their uses
• Botany and species selection
• Agricultural soil ecology
• Water management and impacts on water quality
• Soil nitrogen fertility management
• Weeds
• Soilborne pathogens
• Plant and soil nematodes
• Arthropods
• Cover crop management
• Economics

We currently have a few copies for sale in the office, or you may purchase online. If purchasing online, please use promo code PRVEN56 to receive 10% off your order.

 

 

California Agriculture – fall 2011

The current issue of UC's California Agriculture, subtitled Stewards of the land: Private owners share views on forest and range resources, contains several articles highlighting various aspects of our state’s natural resources. Many challenges to our natural environments are anticipated as California continues to develop and grow.

UC’s researchers are highly motivated to find solutions in their areas of expertise. To learn more about what is being done to improve our collective environmental future, please see the following articles available online:

• Forest and rangeland owners value land for natural amenities and as financial investment
• Tree shelters and weed control enhance growth and survival of natural blue oak seedlings
• Hedgerows enhance beneficial insects on farms in California’s Central Valley
• Water sensors with cellular system eliminate tail water drainage in alfalfa irrigation
• Totally impermeable film retains fumigants, allowing lower application rates in strawberry
• Research on fire and ecosystem services must incorporate climate realities
• California Firewood Task Force’s message: “Buy it where you burn it”
• Water workgroup recommends new salinity guidelines for regulatory agencies
• Tree-killing pathogen traced back to California

Strawberry presentations now available

The 10^th Annual Strawberry Production Meeting in Ventura County was held in September.

We are happy to announce presentations from the meeting have been placed on this page of our website.

Please let us know if you are interested in being placed on the strawberry production email list. Inclusion on the email list allows for direct notice of upcoming meetings and information related to strawberry production.

UC’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)

SAREP is a statewide program within the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources division. From their site:

“SAREP provides leadership and support for scientific research and education in agricultural and food systems that are economically viable, conserve natural resources and biodiversity, and enhance the quality of life in the state's communities. SAREP serves farmers, farmworkers, ranchers, researchers, educators, regulators, policy makers, industry professionals, consumers, and community organizations across the state."

Program areas are:

• biologically integrated farming systems
• community food systems
• crop/livestock production
• organic farming information
• methyl bromide alternatives

Related resources, reports, funding opportunities and much more can be easily accessed from this well laid out site.

 

 

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